--- title: Mavaul vs Obscura Photo Vault canonical: https://mavaul.com/compare/obscura-photo-vault/ description: Obscura and Mavaul both encrypt with AES-256-GCM on the iPhone. Obscura goes furthest on security, with no recovery at all. Mavaul pairs the same encryption with a recovery key and a vault built for looking at your photos. format: text/markdown generator: scripts/generate-llms.js --- # Mavaul vs Obscura _By [Diogo Ferreira](/about/), founder & engineer_ Obscura is built security-first, and new in 2026 like Mavaul. Both encrypt every photo with AES-256-GCM on the iPhone, with no account and no cloud. Obscura goes further on security: open-source encryption code, 600,000 key-derivation rounds, ten separate vaults, no data collected, and no recovery at all if you forget the password. Mavaul pairs the same encryption with a recovery key, a calculator decoy, and a vault built for looking at your photos: a viewer, a slideshow and Wi-Fi Share to a TV, laptop or any browser on your Wi-Fi. ## At a glance | | Mavaul | Obscura | | --- | --- | --- | | Built for | Keeping photos private and enjoying them | Maximum security and transparency | | Encryption on the phone | AES-256-GCM for every photo and video | AES-256-GCM, open-source code, 600,000 key-derivation rounds | | Account | None | None | | Unlock | Face ID, Touch ID or a 4-digit vault passcode | Password, Face ID or Touch ID | | Decoy and disguise | Decoy mode: a working calculator in place of the lock screen. Calculator, cat or hot sauce icons | Ten separate vaults, each with its own password, and no list of them | | Viewing | Tap the edges to flick through, pinch to zoom, timed slideshow with a progress hint | Not listed beyond playback | | Big screen | Wi-Fi Share: QR code, then the vault opens in a browser on a TV, laptop or any device on the same Wi-Fi, with slideshow | Not listed. Works without internet | | Backup | Encrypted on the phone, to your Dropbox, Nextcloud or Files (Premium). Mavaul hosts nothing | None: no cloud, by its listing | | Also stores | Photos and videos | Photos and videos | | Ads | None | None stated | | App Store privacy label | Data not linked to you: analytics and crash data. No tracking | Data not collected | | Free version | 20 photos and videos, all the locks, Wi-Fi Share | Yes | | Premium | 1,99 € a month, 17,99 € a year, or 49,99 € once | Pro $6.99 a month, $29.99 a year, or $39.99 once (US) | | Devices | iPhone | iPhone and iPad | | On the App Store since | 2026 | 2026, about 15 ratings (US) | ## Made to look at your photos, not just hide them A vault is also where you go back to the photos. In Mavaul you tap the edges to flick through, pinch to zoom, or start a slideshow. A thin progress hint shows when the next photo is due, and if you swipe away, the show carries on from there. With Wi-Fi Share you scan a QR code and the vault opens on a TV, laptop or any device with a browser on the same Wi-Fi, with a slideshow and a full-screen viewer. Nothing leaves your Wi-Fi. ## Privacy and encryption Both apps encrypt on the phone with AES-256-GCM and neither tracks you. Obscura's label says no data is collected at all; Mavaul's lists anonymous analytics and crash data not linked to you. The big trade-off is recovery. Obscura has none: forget the password and the photos are gone. Mavaul gives you a 24-character recovery key, and with Premium, an encrypted backup to your own storage. [How Mavaul's encryption works](/features/on-device-encryption/). ## Where Obscura wins - Open-source encryption code you can check yourself. - 600,000 key-derivation rounds, against Mavaul's 210,000. - Ten separate vaults, each with its own password. - No data collected, by its label. Mavaul collects anonymous analytics. ## Which one to pick Pick Obscura if security is everything to you, you want to read the encryption code, and you accept that a forgotten password means the photos are gone. Pick Mavaul if you want your photos encrypted on the phone, no tracking, a calculator decoy, and an app that makes your photos nice to look at again, on the phone or on the TV. ## Questions ### Is Mavaul a good alternative to Obscura? Yes, if you want the same AES-256-GCM encryption plus a way back in if you forget the passcode, encrypted backups, and a vault built for looking at your photos. Stay with Obscura if you want open-source encryption code and no recovery by design. ### Which is more secure, Mavaul or Obscura? Both encrypt with AES-256-GCM on the iPhone. Obscura publishes its encryption code, uses more key-derivation rounds and offers no recovery. Mavaul offers a recovery key, which is safer against forgetting and means the key itself must be kept safe. ### Can I recover my photos if I forget the password? In Obscura, no. In Mavaul, yes, with your 24-character recovery key. ## Sources Obscura facts come from its [US App Store listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/obscura-photo-vault/id6759755376) and privacy label, checked on October 6, 2026. Privacy labels are filled in by each developer, who is [responsible for keeping them accurate](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/app-privacy-details/). Prices and features change, so check the listing before you buy. Mavaul facts come from [features](/features/), [pricing](/pricing/) and [privacy](/privacy/). App names and icons belong to their owners. Spot something out of date? [hello@mavaul.com](mailto:hello@mavaul.com). ## Try Mavaul [Download Mavaul on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/mavaul-photo-video-vault/id6759567727?l=en-GB)